


Hard Light

by PunkHazard



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Breakup, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 06:24:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7673500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunkHazard/pseuds/PunkHazard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hard time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hard Light

Over the years, Genji had developed an uncommonly sharp sense for impending disaster. He’d noticed it a few years after joining Overwatch, maybe his subconscious overcompensating for the fact that he hadn’t seen Hanzo trying to kill him coming at all. That it had taken him by complete shock is a bit of a surprise, in hindsight, considering all the obvious signs and his brother’s growing agitation.

But they’ve been reconciled for years now; they don’t talk or even see each other regularly (probably the only way they could possibly get along), Hanzo’s tendency to be a social recluse still out in full force.

When Lúcio tells him that he intends to move out of the Watchpoint, Genji sees it coming. He doesn’t act on it for months and each week Lúcio puts it off Genji finds himself thinking, _Maybe_ , though his Spidey Sense, dormant sometimes, never truly fades.

The day Lúcio returns from a week-long homecoming tour through Brazil (after _just missing_ Genji’s return from a twelve-day stint in Siberia escorting Mei’s equipment between a dilapidated omnium and an Overwatch convoy), the warnings signs reach a fever pitch and Genji almost tells him out loud, _Hurry and get it over with_.

“I think we’re done,” Lúcio says, almost inaudible as he and Genji stand across from each other, awkward and uneasy in the room they’d shared for years. “Our lives just– I can’t stay here, and you’d hate living the way I do, always in the public eye.”

Some part of Genji clamors for justification, some compelling _reason_ Lúcio can’t just– stay, and be with him, and carry on as they used to. The rest of him withers, guilty that he’d even consider holding on to Lúcio when the man has so much more in his future, so much potential happiness with someone who can give him a normal life– let him sleep next to a warm, human body; eat and joke and laugh with him; return smiles and kisses in front of other people. The fact that they’d already been an item for so long, nothing binding them except a preference for ‘together’ over 'with someone else’, had been a surprise to Genji every time he’d thought about it.

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” he answers firmly, removing his visor, “we never made any promises. And, I understand.”

“I want to,” Lúcio insists, his expression conflicted, “because if I don’t, you’re gonna think that I don’t want to be with you anymore, and that’s not it. It’s just– I see where our lives are going, and it’s not to the same place.” Lúcio pauses, as if reading the thoughts in Genji’s head, the irrationally petulant _Why can’t we stay like this until we can’t anymore?_  "I don’t want us to think that the last few years of trying to hold it together were a waste of time. You deserve someone who can treat you as well as you treat me.“

The idea that Lúcio thinks he’s interested in finding anyone else– let alone capable of it– hurts Genji nearly as much as the fact that even after so long, Lúcio hasn’t seen all the ways that he’s made at least one cyborg’s half-life worth living. That after all these years, he doesn’t trust Genji enough to believe him when he says so. "Please,” Genji says before Lúcio can continue, voice distant and neutral, “let us not drag this out. Your belongings?”

Brusque. Business-like. Lúcio’s seen that particular defense mechanism hundreds of times, the immediate distance Genji puts between himself and any stranger who’s caught him in a vulnerable position or invaded his space. “I’ll need them,” Lúcio answers, taking a step back.

“Before you move out of the Watchpoint?”

“It’s not that urgent.” Lúcio hasn’t been in _many_  relationships, but they’d never ended like this before– in a cool negotiation. Even their arguments (few and far between) were usually punctuated with jokes and laughter, constant reassurance. “If there’s anything we forget, you can just throw it in storage somewhere and I’ll pick it up when I’m around again.”

Genji nods, as if already categorizing the things Lúcio had left with him that he might need to return. “Your room?”

A dismissive wave. “I’m not gonna be here enough to need one, it’s yours.”

“I will stay with Zenyatta,” Genji declines politely. Even stripped of Lúcio’s things, his posters, his equipment, the furniture he’d used, Genji imagines that the particular view outside Lúcio’s window, which they’d spent countless hours in front of, would be just as painful to deal with.

“You don’t have to, I can’t kick you out of our room–”

That he’d still use 'we’, and 'us’, and 'our’– Genji considers leaving. At least then he wouldn’t have to finish this conversation, even if it would leave things between him and Lúcio irreversibly broken. “It was yours in the first place,” he interrupts instead, voice low and rough, “and there is plenty of space with my master.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“It is.”

Lúcio raises his arms, then drops them, helplessly turning his bare hands forward. “I’m sorry, Genji.”

Expression softening, involuntarily endeared by the familiar gesture, Genji sighs. “Don’t be. We have always done what is best for ourselves.” As if realizing how short he’d been, Genji relaxes his stance and nods, tapping his helmet over his ear. “Our paths diverge but you will always be able to reach me, no matter how far you travel.”

“If you want to cut it off completely,” Lúcio says, sounding miserable, “I get it. I don’t want to hurt you even more.”

“Before we were anything else,” Genji clarifies, replacing his visor, “we were friends and that still holds meaning to me. For now, I… need time.”

“Yeah. I got it.” A wry grin. Lúcio’s expression is at once determined and tender. “And same goes for you, if there’s anything you need, you know how to find me.”

“I have an assignment tomorrow. I may not be back before you leave.”

_I will not be back before you leave._

“So this is… probably goodbye, huh?” Lúcio takes a hesitant step forward, then three fast ones into the arms Genji extends toward him. “It was good while it lasted,” he whispers against the side of Genji’s head, voice shaky as it vibrates through metal. “We were really great. Better than I ever dreamed.”

Genji lets go, wordlessly striding to the rack above Lúcio’s desk and retrieving his sword and wakizashi, fitting them to their places on his back. Then he steps past Lúcio, pausing in the doorway to sort through the jumble of thoughts trying to spill out of his mouth. Some bitter, some angry, some resigned and sad, but above them all–

“In our time together,” Genji says, turning, grinning– hoping Lúcio can sense the sincerity in his voice even if he can’t see his face, “I was truly happy. Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> THIS WAS DONE ON A PROMPT and i don't actually consider it canon to the universe heliotropic takes place in (tho obviously everyone's welcome to take it how they like, haha!)


End file.
